Cytoskeleton and mucilage involved in the cell polarization of conchospores in Pyropia haitanensis

The specific inhibitors of cytoskeleton and histochemical stain were used to investigate formation of cell polarization during the early development of conchospores in Pyropia haitanensis. Polarized conchospores w ere observed tw ice: Anterior-posterior axis is formed in migrating conchospores. After migration,conchospores adhere to the substratum and then apical-basal axis is established. Meanw hile,composition of mucilage around conchospores w as studied,and acidic polysaccharides and sulfated polysaccharides w ere found at the rear end in migrating conchospores and basal portion of up-righted conchospores. These results indicate that mucilage is involved in formation and maintenance of the cell polarization in conchospores. Inhibitors of cytoskeleton prevented the released conchospores from germinating through disturbing the anterior-posterior axis formed in migrating conchospores. It w as found that they also affected the establishment of apical-basal axis for abnormal germinations in the inhibitors-treated migrated conchospores. These results indicate that cytoskeleton and mucilage are involved constantly in tw ice cell polarization formation of conchospores in P. haitanensis.